Esee S35VN

[Aloha]

Anyone interested? 

[Aloha]

You also might want to watch this then....  Also read what Esee says about their offerings in S35VN, talk about transparency.

[SteveC]

 

[Rapidray]

Nice and a try before you buy? Interesting 
I still carry my Izula from time to time! Great knife.

[Gerhard Gerber]

You also might want to watch this then....  Also read what Esee says about their offerings in S35VN, talk about transparency.

My message to ESEE, keep the doors open and DON'T give the same warranty on the S35VN models 
Great company, I hope this doesn't backfire.

[nate j]

I'll probably end up with one.  I do wish they had chosen the ESEE-4 rather than the ESEE-3 to get the S35VN treatment, as it's an all-around handier size IMO.

Looks like MSRP of $205, with some distributors taking pre-orders for around $135 total.  Would love to see the going rate fall to more like $100 - $110, but we'll see what happens once they start actually being in stock.

[spudley112]

I like premium steel, but yeah...for hard impact use...1095. But I love my knives in s30v and CPM 20CV. I can see this serving in a low impact capacity.

I agree with Nate. I wish it was the ESEE 4.

I have a Benchmade Contego in s30v and I am happy with it...but I am not chopping, batoning or prying with it.

[comis]

Definitely appreciate the testing they put it thru, and happy to see the transparency and honesty.

But....what about 3V? 

[Gerhard Gerber]

Definitely appreciate the testing they put it thru, and happy to see the transparency and honesty.

But....what about 3V? 

3V is not stainless 

[comis]

3V is not stainless 

True, but I think they had been using 1095 which is carbon steel?  I think if their clientele are used to batoning or rough use, better stick with something that's relatively tough rather than more edge retention.

[Gerhard Gerber]

True, but I think they had been using 1095 which is carbon steel?  I think if their clientele are used to batoning or rough use, better stick with something that's relatively tough rather than more edge retention.

Exactly, the idea IIRC from the video was to have a stainless offering.

I think, unfortunately, S35VN was a fashion-driven choice, there are much better stainless steels for this application.

There's an argument for a number of other steels, my personal preference would be a tool steel (like 3V  )

As an amateur knife maker let me assure you there is a world of difference in cost between making a good 1095 knife and good knife in a modern stainless or tool steel.

I've often wondered about the financial side of their warranty, but the fact they pull it off indicates very low manufacturing costs.

Just had an idea and deployed my google-foo....

CPM S35VN 1/4 x 2" x 36"  $152.15

HR 1095 1/4 x 2" x 72" $35.57

I fully support them moving to new steels, but I think they need to change that warranty before it bites them.  Material costs are just the beginning 
 

[Aloha]

3V is not stainless 

Which is what they ( guys in video ) said.  The guys answer lots of steel choice questions within the comments.  They seem to suggest there might be other steels but who knows. 

[comis]

Exactly, the idea IIRC from the video was to have a stainless offering.

I think, unfortunately, S35VN was a fashion-driven choice, there are much better stainless steels for this application.

There's an argument for a number of other steels, my personal preference would be a tool steel (like 3V  )

As an amateur knife maker let me assure you there is a world of difference in cost between making a good 1095 knife and good knife in a modern stainless or tool steel.

I've often wondered about the financial side of their warranty, but the fact they pull it off indicates very low manufacturing costs.

Just had an idea and deployed my google-foo....

CPM S35VN 1/4 x 2" x 36"  $152.15

HR 1095 1/4 x 2" x 72" $35.57

I fully support them moving to new steels, but I think they need to change that warranty before it bites them.  Material costs are just the beginning 
 

I agree with you--and look at those numbers you quote, it practically costs 10 times more per knife(that's before all the heat treat, grinding, etc)!  And I doubt very much the MSRP is going to reflect that.

[Aloha]

The Esee warranty does make you wonder how they pull it off?  I'd imagine theres not a lot coming back  .  They've made a solid reputation n their heat treat of 1095 from what I gather from reading posts.  I'm inclined to pick one up but not to use as they did in video. 

I think once I factor in the warranty with what they ask for their products I am happy to pay their price.   I posted a while ago about paying a premium for 1095 and Esee was not a company I ever thought of.  I can imagine there will be some who get the new S35VN offerings and try to beat the snot out of them.  Theres always a few out to try to break stuff  .   

[comis]

The Esee warranty does make you wonder how they pull it off?  I'd imagine theres not a lot coming back  .  They've made a solid reputation n their heat treat of 1095 from what I gather from reading posts.  I'm inclined to pick one up but not to use as they did in video. 

I think once I factor in the warranty with what they ask for their products I am happy to pay their price.   I posted a while ago about paying a premium for 1095 and Esee was not a company I ever thought of.  I can imagine there will be some who get the new S35VN offerings and try to beat the snot out of them.  Theres always a few out to try to break stuff  .   

Still wondering the same thing(probably GG too), the issue about this is there are always folks trying to abuse their tool to the max knowing they could take advantage of that warranty.  If the geometry and the steel(and everything else)goes well together, the chances of breaking and replacing them are probably manageable.


But I am not sure s35vn can endure the same of kind of abuse, given it is a semi tall blade with flat grind and the thickest part is 1/8 inch.  Kinda curious why not use s35vn for Izula?  At least there's less chance of people using that to baton thru a big log of wood?

[Aloha]

Esee seems to have wanted to please their fans who have been asking for premium ( newer ) steels.  I'm sure they had a reason why they chose S35VN as their SS steel considering they've used 440C already  .

 

 

 

[nate j]

Kinda curious why not use s35vn for Izula?

Well, it could certainly happen in the future, but right now ESEE offers (1) the Izula in 440C for those who feel they must have that model in SS, and (2) the Xancudo for those who are looking for a small FB in S35VN, so perhaps they feel they have things sufficiently covered.

[Gerhard Gerber]

The Esee warranty does make you wonder how they pull it off?  I'd imagine theres not a lot coming back  .  They've made a solid reputation n their heat treat of 1095 from what I gather from reading posts.  I'm inclined to pick one up but not to use as they did in video. 

I haven't looked at ESEE prices in a very long time due to local availability  and because I'm not allowed to buy fixed blades anymore 
That said, I do remember them being relatively expensive.
So the steel is cheap, heat treat relatively easy, manufacturing processes are perfected and paid for (I would think).  Cost wise you are probably paying for 3 knives, so they can afford to give you another one and they score a big marketing win....

S35VN is the opposite,  expensive steel, expensive and more demanding heat treat........forgot about the 440C models, that makes me more convinced it was a fashion choice.

They could just take my money if they make a CruWear model 

[Aloha]

A quick glance at popular knife site, all prices rounded up to nearest US Dollar.

Izula 2 with Micarta handles $75
#3 and #4 $110
#5 $155

Izula in 440C $75
#4 in 440C $125

Esee #3 in S35VN $135
Xancudo with hole in handle $125

I posted about paying premium for 1095 a while ago and I don't feel these are asking a premium all things considered  . 

The S35VN models seem to be decently priced as well 

[Gerhard Gerber]

I posted about paying premium for 1095 a while ago and I don't feel these are asking a premium all things considered  . 

Just to be clear, I view them as expensive, not overpriced 
I'm looking at this from another perspective, somebody who has taken a piece of 1095 and turned it into a knife....
You can calculate what the piece of steel costs per knife based on the prices I quoted (major US supplier) and safely assume they get it in bulk and even cheaper.
Then the blanks gets water-jetted (or something), and I assume some machining process does the rest....ditto for the scales.
Again assuming, based on TOPS factory videos, a whole bunch of blades go in the heat treat together.
Perhaps a bit more machining, and then coating.
Next step should involve humans, but going by a BRK factory tour video you can put perfectly sized scales on a knife in a matter of a few minutes.

JMO, but if they're setup correctly I'm sure they can be profitable, even with the warranty.

I also need to be very clear on one point, I believe most of those warranty claims are from idiot abuse......and I'm not a member of the anti-batoning crowd.
Smurf happens, you get an inclusion of inconsistency in the steel, or a crack in the HT that hides, those are obvious and a valid claim.
Seeing photos of some of their warranty knives I feel its down to abuse and should not be warrantied 

[Aloha]

 .  Coming from a knife maker I appreciate your view.  Expensive is a fluid term as it relates to the things we buy. I was at the mall recently with a friend.  She was having her handbag repaired for the cost of what some would consider an expensive handbag.  Coming from someone who shops resale shops and flea markets expensive takes on a much different meaning for me.  A local store was selling jeans ( Levis ) at their closeout prices but I just couldn't pay what they wanted.  I get Levis for under 10 US so paying 3 to 4 times that seemed a lot.  I know its not for new jeans but emotionally it seemed so. 

Bigger names ask more money.  Once a knife maker has a decent following they can ask more.  I feel what they are asking for the S35VN is fair tho for some I'm sure it can been seen as expensive.  Some make that money in a few hours while others its a days pay.  When I began to build my MT collection I'd pick up side jobs to afford my buying.  I wasn't even spending a lot either.  Now I sell items I have to fund new purchases or I buy items very cheap and flip for profit to afford new purchases. 

Where theres want theres a way.   

[comis]

A quick glance at popular knife site, all prices rounded up to nearest US Dollar.

Izula 2 with Micarta handles $75
#3 and #4 $110
#5 $155

Izula in 440C $75
#4 in 440C $125

Esee #3 in S35VN $135
Xancudo with hole in handle $125

I posted about paying premium for 1095 a while ago and I don't feel these are asking a premium all things considered  . 

The S35VN models seem to be decently priced as well 

That is relatively expensive.  In comparison, BM Puukko with 3V steel is around 127usd and I probably will choose this over the s35vn Esee. 

[Aloha]

That BM is pretty nice.